Known to many anime fans through songs such as Hibana, Shadow is the Light and Ryoumen no Kishi, The Sixth Lie has spent the past decade developing a distinctive sound that blends rock, electronic influences and powerful melodies.
Eight years after their first appearance at Japan Expo, Arata and Reiji returned to France to reconnect with their European audience. Despite performing as a duo for the first time, The Sixth Lie delivered energetic and polished live performances throughout the convention, showcasing both their stage experience and their strong connection with the crowd.
We met with The Sixth Lie to discuss their ten-year journey, the evolution of their music, their latest release Survive In Hell, and their long-awaited return to Japan Expo.
Could you introduce yourselves?
Arata: Hello, I’m Arata.
Reiji: Hello, I’m Reiji.
Ten years is a major milestone in an artist’s career. What are you hoping for in the years ahead? Looking back, how would you sum up these past ten years?
Reiji: Over the past ten years, we’ve had the opportunity to perform four anime theme songs. We tool part in many festivals both in Japan and overseas, and collaborated with a number of well-known artists.
Arata: Our anime songs are actually more widely known than the songs we’ve released as a band. In the coming years, one of our goals is for our music as ASH DA HERO to become just as well known as our anime songs.
Can you tell us about the creative process behind Survive In Hell, your latest release, which features a much stronger EDM influence?
Reiji: We used traditional Japanese instruments for the first time. The album has a Japanese theme, but it’s presented through the eyes of people from outside Japan. It’s not “our own version” of Japan, but rather an outsider’s interpretation of what Japan represents.
Speaking of Survive In Hell, which member do you think would be the most likely to survive in Hell?
Reiji: Arata is very outgoing and energetic. But recently, maybe because he’s getting older, he’s started to calm down a bit and doesn’t go out as much anymore.
Arata: In Hell, I think I’d calm down a little. I can imagine myself completely blending into that world.
Can you tell us how you choose your stage outfits?
Arata: Our outfits for the Europe Tour were designed and made by students from Aoyama Fashion College. They created them based on our music and our style, then tailored them specifically for us.
Reiji: My outfit is inspired by a “chemistry teacher” concept.
You previously came to the Japan Expo in 2018. How does it feel to be back this time?
Arata: We’re really excited to see our French fans again after such a long time. This time, though, it’s just the two of us because Rei, our drummer, couldn’t join us. It’s the first time we’re performing as a duo, so it required a lot of preparation beforehand.
In an interview eight years ago, you mentioned that it was difficult to incorporate electronic music into your sound. Do you still feel the need to adapt your music as much as before, or has it become easier over time?
Arata: Back then, we were still experimenting and exploring our sound, so naturally we were in a learning phase.
Reiji: For me, it comes naturally now.
You’re well known because many of your songs are used as anime themes. Do you ever feel like moving beyond that image, or is it still an honor to combine music with anime?
Arata: Many of our fans first discovered us through anime, and those opportunities mean a great deal to us. It’s very important for us to maintain that connection with anime and with the fans who found us through it.
During the convention, you’ll also be taking part in a cooking workshop and the Japan Games Show. Are you looking forward to it?
Arata: We really wanted to try activities beyond our live performances. So it’s an honor for us to be involved in both events.
You seem to be passionate about board games. Are you taking advantage of your stay in France to discover some new ones?
Arata: We haven’t had the chance to discover any French board games yet, but we’d really like to. We’re planning to look around and see what kinds of board games are popular here in France.
Do you have a message for your French fans who have been eagerly waiting for your return?
Arata: We’ve released a lot of music over the years, including plenty of songs that are easy to get excited about. Whether you already know them or not, we hope everyone will sing, dance, and have a great time during our live shows. We also hope many fans will come and see us.
Reiji: We’ve also released a lot of new songs recently, so we hope everyone will give them a listen and continue supporting us.
We would like to thank The Sixth Lie and and Japan Expo for this interview.
This interview is a collaboration between KAvenyou, CKJPOPNEWS and NAUTILJON.
